Purpose: :
Impression cytology is a useful and minimally invasivebiopsy to collect the superficial layers of the ocular surface.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes of conjunctivalepithelium between before and after impression cytology by usinga new in vivo laser scanning confocal microscope (HeidelbergRetinal Tomograph II Rostock Cornea Module: HRT–II RCM).

Results: :
HRT–II RCM examination revealed that superficialbulbar conjunctiva before the impression cytology exhibitedsuperficial epithelial cells with bright nuclei and large roundhyperreflective goblet cells. Goblet cells in the nasal regionwere denser than in the temporal region. A few layers of conjunctivalepithelial cells with relatively small nuclei and no gobletcells were observed immediate after the impression cytology.By slit lamp examination, conjunctival epithelial defects werenot seen 1 week after the impression cytology in all subjects.Normal superficial epithelial cells and goblet cells could beobserved in all subjects 1 week after the impression cytology,measured by using HRT–II RCM.

Conclusions: :
Because HRT–II RCM revealed that severalconjunctival epithelial cells remain even immediate after theprocedure, and normal epithelial cells and goblet cells wererecovered in 1 week, we confirm that the impression cytologyis a safe and minimally invasive method to evaluate the featuresof the ocular surface.